U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited NAU’s Flagstaff Mountain campus on Wednesday to encourage students and faculty members to vote in the upcoming election. Afterward, Haaland sat down with The Lumberjack’s assistant news editor, Daisy Johnston, for a Q&A.
Haaland’s visit included a stop outside University Union to canvass for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The secretary passed out cards to help voters form a plan for casting their ballots.
Visiting only in a personal capacity, Haaland was unable to answer questions through her perspective as the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. As a result, issues relating to federal business, such as policies, treatment of public lands and management of natural resources were excluded from the conversation.
The interview with Haaland was recorded in the School of Communication and can be viewed on The Lumberjack’s YouTube channel.
Daisy Johnston: Hello, I’m Daisy Johnston, the assistant news editor at The Lumberjack and right now, I am sitting with one of the highest-ranking officials to come visit us here at The Lumberjack. Secretary, please introduce yourself.
Deb Haaland: Thank you so much Daisy. My name is Deb Haaland, and I’m here in my personal capacity. Really happy to be here at NAU and to be in Flagstaff, so, thanks for making the time for me today.
DJ: Thank you for making the time for us. I first want to ask you, what brings you to campus today?
Haaland: Today is the first day of early voting for Arizona, and so, I’m here on campus just to bring attention to that earlier. We had some cards, we were asking students to sign, and faculty too, everybody was welcome to sign them, that basically are a commit to vote card. So, folks commit to having a plan to vote whether it’s in person, and you can start today early voting by mail, or on Election Day.
U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland speaks about the importance of voting in Indigenous communities, Oct. 9.
DJ: I know you’re here in your personal capacity. So, I want to ask you a little bit about your journey to get to where you are. When you were my age as a college student, is that what you knew you wanted to do?
Haaland: I had such a different journey than so many. I didn’t start college until 28, for example. I just didn’t realize that’s what I needed to do, that that would be my path. But, once I started college and once I realized how important our Native vote was, it made me want to ensure that Native Americans were getting out to vote.
In New Mexico, we didn’t have the right to vote until 1948. It wasn’t until Miguel Trujilo, who was a World War II veteran, he fought in WWII in the Marines, came back home and realized that Native Americans weren’t allowed to vote in state elections. We sued the state of New Mexico, and I just felt very committed to honoring his legacy.
So, I started just traveling around. I’ve been to every Native community in New Mexico and making sure that they realize that their voting is their power. Their voting is their voice. So, that’s really what I did for a long time until I decided to run for office. I had an idea that I’d run for lieutenant governor. That was in 2014. We didn’t win that one, but after that, I ran for state party chair and I was the chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. Then, an opening came up in my congressional district, Congressional District 1, and I decided to run for that.
I mean, I just, I love campaigns. I think it’s important that we elect people who care about our issues. And certainly as a student, there are a lot of issues I know that students care about. So, all of your voices are important in this election, and I hope everyone gets out to vote.
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Junior Ben Hankins (left) leads the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (right) as she begins her canvass at the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland walks toward the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway to canvass with students, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (left) poses for a selfie with Spencer Merritt (middle) and sophomore Ava McClure (right) during her canvass at the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
Jack the dog poses for a photo with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland as she canvasses at the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (left) speaks with associate professor Sam Minkler (right) as she canvasses around the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks with students about their voting registration as she canvasses at the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland walks through the First Amendment Plaza toward the School of Communications building, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks with Jacob Orduño while canvassing during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9. Haaland visited campus to speak with students about the Nov. 5 election and gauge voting interest.
Freshman Natalie Russell fills out information on a clipboard handed over by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Oct. 9. Haaland canvassed with students during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the Univeristy Union Pedway.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks to a group of students during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland poses for a picture with students and faculty from Indigejacks during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks to a group of students during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
A yellow rubber duck, dressed in a colorful top hat and American flag, sits on a table with voting information during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
Junior Ben Hankins helps Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland get set up for canvassing as she looks at the forms in front of McDonall Hall at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9. Haaland was on NAU’s campus to canvass on the first day of early voting in Arizona.
Freshman Natalie Russell takes a photo with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Freshman Natalie Russell takes a photo with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks to vendors on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks to students on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (center) takes a photo with students and faculty on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Photography professor Sam Minkler speaks with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland watches as Jacob Orduño fills out a canvassing form on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Junior Ben Hankins (left) leads the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (right) as she begins her canvass at the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland walks toward the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway to canvass with students, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (left) poses for a selfie with Spencer Merritt (middle) and sophomore Ava McClure (right) during her canvass at the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
Jack the dog poses for a photo with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland as she canvasses at the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (left) speaks with associate professor Sam Minkler (right) as she canvasses around the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks with students about their voting registration as she canvasses at the Open-Air Market on the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland walks through the First Amendment Plaza toward the School of Communications building, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks with Jacob Orduño while canvassing during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9. Haaland visited campus to speak with students about the Nov. 5 election and gauge voting interest.
Freshman Natalie Russell fills out information on a clipboard handed over by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Oct. 9. Haaland canvassed with students during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the Univeristy Union Pedway.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks to a group of students during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland poses for a picture with students and faculty from Indigejacks during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks to a group of students during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
A yellow rubber duck, dressed in a colorful top hat and American flag, sits on a table with voting information during the weekly Open-Air Market outside of the University Union Pedway, Oct. 9.
Junior Ben Hankins helps Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland get set up for canvassing as she looks at the forms in front of McDonall Hall at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9. Haaland was on NAU’s campus to canvass on the first day of early voting in Arizona.
Freshman Natalie Russell takes a photo with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Freshman Natalie Russell takes a photo with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks to vendors on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland speaks to students on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (center) takes a photo with students and faculty on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Photography professor Sam Minkler speaks with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland watches as Jacob Orduño fills out a canvassing form on the University Union Pedway at the Open-Air Market, Oct. 9.
DJ: You’re back here in the Southwest, and you’ve been working a long way away. How has your relationship with this region changed since you went away?
Haaland: Well, I mean, it hasn’t changed too much. I don’t know if you knew that I was born in Arizona. I was born in Winslow, Arizona. My grandparents were part of the assimilation policies of the United States. The federal government was working hard in the earlier part of the century, the 1900s, to make sure that Native Americans — they didn’t want them in their communities. They wanted them to get out into mainstream America, and my grandparents were part of those policies and they worked on a railroad in Winslow. My mother made sure that we visited them as often as possible. It just happened that I happened to be born there when we were visiting one time.
And so, I’m proud of my Southwest roots. I think this is an important part of the country, and certainly, Arizona is important in this election, so I’m always happy to visit the Southwest. I’ve been to Arizona many many times, across the state, in so many different communities and I really love it here.
DJ: I saw in an interview that you said you were the person that your grandparents dreamed of. I was wondering, who is the person you dream of?
Haaland: When I’m thinking about why I’m doing this work, why I’m encouraging people to get out and vote in this election, it’s because the future matters. As Native Americans, we were always thinking about future generations and the decisions that we make. When we make decisions to elect people who care about our environment, who care about health care, who care about jobs and housing and all the things that we know we need, it means our future generations will be set.
So, when I’m thinking about who I dream of, it’s my great great grandchildren someday, who I want to be able to experience some of the things that I’ve been able to experience here. We’re in the midst of a climate crisis, and the leadership today will mean all the difference for those children, for future generations.
U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland speaks about early voting in Arizona, Oct. 9.
DJ: I want to ask you a question about the climate crisis because a lot of students come to NAU because they love the forest. They love the mountains. These are people who care about the environment, but a lot of students here are not optimistic about the future of the climate. If a student was here expressing their concerns, what would you say to them?
Haaland: I would say to them that all is not lost. I mean, look, we need people in elected office who recognize that there is a climate crisis. There are still climate deniers out there who are saying that climate change is good for us or climate change isn’t caused by humans. Humans have definitely affected the climate. We need people in office who recognize the need for us to move forward on clean energy. On making sure that our environment is — that we care about our environment. And that’s why I’m supporting Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz because I believe very strongly that they understand completely the value of leadership in this area.
I think that students today, their voice is important. I know that there’s a lot of students here who are studying to make sure that we’re doing what we need to for our future.
DJ: Well, it’s an honor to have you here where we work and study. Thank you so much for coming.
Haaland: Thank you.
